Harvest Home by Dorothy Lambert 😊❤️💜💚

Happy Furrowed Middlebrow Friday! 🤩💃🏻❤️

Dorothy Lambert has been impressing me all month long with her exciting domestic novels! Although the setting of the books is not specifically summer, somehow they all feel summery. I would 100% recommend them all as the perfect picks for beach reading. 😊☀️🏖

It's not too late to pre-order these titles (available in both paperback and/or ebook) on Amazon! (US link) (UK Link) Only 5 days until publication! 🎉

RATING: 4.75🌟 Lively, fun, descriptive and wacky!

Harvest Home starts with Lucinda traveling to London to attend her sister Angela's birthday party and ends up with a whole lot of crazy consequences. From the very first page, I was pulled into this quirky romantic comedy. (I would love to see this novel on screen!)

From London to the remote countryside, there is non-stop activity for the Bradsole family and their friends. This includes devious plans, secrets, ghosts, romantic yearnings, frustrated parents, jealousy and little lies in order to "help" others. What happens after the harvest is a ball of confusion, but ends with surprising results!

I might have given this new Dorothy Lambert title a 5 star review, but I just felt too frustrated with some of the characters. But, it was SO close! 

Harvest Home mostly takes place during the autumn season, but it was the perfect choice to read during the summer. The wonderful writing, enthusiastic energy and particularly peculiar plot of this 1950s novel made it a shining summer gem!

MAIN CHARACTERS:

❊ Sir Giles Bradsole - Aka "Puffin", father of Angela, Lucinda and Gillian, farmer and owner of Dregllingore Place (aka "The Place"), hard worker
❊ Lady Bradsole - Aka "Muffy", the mother of the 3 girls, wife to Sir Giles, muddler and martyr to cooking and cleaning at The Place
❊ Angela Bradsole - Oldest Bradsole daughter, lives in London with roommate Priscilla, believes she is an artist, a wee bit selfish and conceited, pretty, not very intelligent or interesting
❊ Lucinda Bradsole - Aka "Cinders", middle daughter, has horticultural degree, amazingly helpful to Sir Giles on the farm
❊ Gillian Bradsole - Youngest daughter, beautiful, understands much more than others give her credit for, close to Lucinda
❊ Priscilla Yardley - Small, slight, coppery hair, eager, a "live wire", roommate to Angela in London, works for a psychoanalyst (and thinks she is one, too!)
❊ Simon Kingsford - Across the hall temporary neighbor to Angela and Priscilla, Canadian, big, strong, handsome, tough, friendly, parachute solider during the war
❊ Alywin Vines - Limp, sulky, obstinate, loves music, "long-suffering air", thinks he's a poet
❊ Toby Hargreave - Aka "The General", near neighbors to the Bradsoles, likes to flirt with young girls (especially Angela)
❊ Sybil Hargreave - Sister to Toby, a pain in the neck to all, thinking she's an important part of the community
❊ Derek Hargreave - Son of "The General", has a crush on Lucinda, jealous of Simon
❊ Mrs. Kingsford - Little old lady in the community from a distinguished family and a mysterious past. Presently not seen very often and mostly thought of as "batty".

WHAT I LOVED:

💜 Being swept into the story (like a tidal wave) from the very first page!
💜 Reading all of the cozy domestic details of everyday life on the farm, especially the food
💜 Priscilla's undeniable energy, charm and perseverance
💜 Seeing how Priscilla could turn things "her way" with such ease
💜 Simon's steady and loyal presence, even though it was clear that he was keeping something back
💜 The way Lucinda is like glue that keeps a lot of the family members together and sane 
💜 Tiny hints of the movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's, at the beginning of the novel during the London birthday party 

WHAT FRUSTRATED ME THE MOST:

❊ Horrible Sybil with her bossiness, interfering nature, selfishness and complete lack of sympathy for others
❊ The household cat, Kenneth, who literally eats anything (and everything!) any time a person leaves the room. (Why doesn't anyone do anything about this??)
❊ Poor Muffie trying to run a household on her own with very little food at hand, very limited hot water, almost no help and dealing with Kenneth the cat!
❊ Mr. and Mrs. Styles (the servant couple) rules the Hargreave family with an iron fist

❤️ FAVORITE PASSAGES: 

"You don't know Puffin," said Lucinda with conviction. "He'd never let himself in for anything so modern as a camp, would he, Angela?" 

The scones were heavy and not quite cooked, but he ate them purely as fodder. Gillian stood by and piled jam on scones and handed them to him in quick succession. Lucinda cut a slab of gingerbread and put it on his plate while his wife poured out cups of tea. After five or six minutes of intensive feeding, Sir Giles lit his pipe and disappeared, saying that he wanted a really hot bath when he came in. 

"Muffie! Do look out! Kenneth is on the table!" But, it was too late. The sardine sandwiches had gone. Kenneth had had them.

I'm so grateful to Victoria at Dean Street Press (she's the best!) for sending along this book (and three other new Dorothy Lambert books) for me to read and review! DSP Furrowed Middlebrow books are my lifeline to comfort and entertainment—they are books I always reread, adore the cover art, and look to whenever I want a bookish hug. ☺️✨

Stay tuned for my last Dorothy Lambert post (here and on Instagram) next Friday—yay! 😍❤️

Will you be buying theses Dorothy Lambert books in July? (Psst...you really should...they're WONDERFUL!)

Have a relaxing and fun weekend! 💛🌼🤗🌼💛 

What will you be reading? Let me know in the comments! 

 

Staying Put by Dorothy Lambert ☺️💖💙

Happy Furrowed Middlebrow Friday! 🥳🎉

This is my 4th out of 5 Dorothy Lambert books I've read in the past few months...yay! I can honestly say that I'm addicted.  

I feel the same way about DL's novels that I do about D.E. Stevenson, Molly Clavering and Susan Scarlett. Generally, they're light, clever, fun-to-read, and have the perfect amount of tenderness and a romance (along with some nature description which varies by author.)

Dorothy Lambert's stories also add a hint of wackiness and chaos that I find hilarious (and a little thrilling!) lol.

Remember that you can pre-order these titles (available in both paperback and ebook) right now on Amazon! (US link) (UK Link)

RATING: 4🌟  War-time Whirlwind and Possible Wedding!

Staying Put takes place in the early days of WW2 in the small English village of Swansford. The reader follows the Falcon family (mostly Lavinia) as they readjust their lives in a new location and try to figure out what they can do to help the village (and themselves) once war is announced. 

Woven into the themes of war preparation, finding jobs, village gossip and bickering, probability of bombings and possible spies, there is a thread (or two!) of romance between the inhabitants. (Whew—there's so much going on in this village-goes-to-war story!)

Here's a little bit about the characters and what I loved about this book:

MAIN CHARACTERS:

❊ Lavinia Falcon (widow, loves to garden, comes back to Swansford to live at Beech Hill after her husband dies, has three adult children...see below)
❊ Rowena Falcon (22, big, tall, blonde, efficient, know-it-all, looking for a wealthy husband, doing war work and acting superior)
❊ Richard Falcon (19, signed up to RAF, temporarily idle, a bit lazy, unmotivated, has a ravenous turtle named Peregrine who eats all of the garden lettuce)
❊ Felicity Falcon (17, youngest child, beautiful, flirty, curious, always ready for an adventure of any kind, has a family of teddy bear friends named the Blennerhassets)
❊ Lady Bulstrode (Lady of The Mallards, rich as anything, wants to control everyone...especially her son Ralph and strives to be seen as generous and supremely important in the little village)
❊ Ralph Thurston (runs the farm part of Mallards, deals with his mother Lady Bulstrode, desperately desires to fix Lavinia's lawn, reliable, practical and a good friend to all)
❊ Maureen Driscoll (Daughter of Mrs. Driscoll and sister to Michael. Went to school at the nearby convent and does exquisite embroidery work for them. Her mother makes her stay in a dark back room of the shop and discourages her from seeing anyone. She's lonely and anxious.)
❊ Michael Driscoll (Son of Mrs. Driscoll and brother to Maureen. Skillful, intelligent, cautious, courteous and private. He wants to do something more than fixing cars in the village. Frustrated and angry. Mother does not approve of him.)

WHAT I LOVED:

💖 Dear Lavinia (Smart, down-to-earth, clever, and a good mother. She reminds me a little of D.E. Stevenson's Mrs. Tim character.)
💖 Sweet Maureen and her lovely nature and beautiful embroidery
💖 How Ralph helps the entire Falcon family in small, but significant ways throughout the book
💖 A little bit of a mystery that needs to be solved (re: the Driscolls)
💖 The short Christmas scene with Christmas at The Mallards with Lady Bulstrode, Ralph, Lavinia and Felicity. Ralph's gifts to his guests were very sweet.

WHAT FRUSTRATED ME THE MOST:

❊ Why does Felicity act like she's 12 years old?? If I didn't know that she was at least 17 in this novel, I would have thought she was 12 or under by her words and actions. But, when you add in the flirting, it feels very confusing!
❊ Why does Lavinia have such a snobbish attitude towards Maureen and Michael Driscoll?
❊ Horrible, pig-headed, fanatic and mean-spirited Mrs. Driscoll (Irish owner of the corner shop and mother of Maureen and Michael)
❊ Mrs. Beckett (She's very similar to Miss Bates of Emma by Jane Austen (just not so gentle or kind) and is incredibly annoying in every way. Mother to Felicity's friend and co-worker, Julia. She's always going to visit Lavinia to vent (and not reciprocate.)
❊ Miss Dampier is so argumentative and makes things more difficult for all of the villagers, especially when it comes to Mrs. Beckett.
❊ A bit of an abrupt ending 

💙 FAVORITE PASSAGES: 

Felicity plunged in with a torch and looked round. "Heavens! What a mess! How absolutely thrilling! We've actually been bombed, Mummy! Isn't it marvelous? Absolutely!"

Rowena always knew about the right things and liked telling others.  

Felicity was seventeen, blithe, inconsequent, lovely to look at, and promised to be an anxiety.  

She was always good-tempered and easy to get on with, was clever and tactful in keeping the peace among the members of the various committees, and never asserted her own views too loudly. (Lavinia) 

Nothing happened, but one expected something all the time. Everything went on perfectly normally, but nothing felt normal. War was nowhere and yet everywhere. And all the time it went on raining, growing more and more depressing. 

After this particular introduction Bridget Twomey settled down at Beech Hill and became the prop and stay of the household.  

Ada and Elsie discussed the situation that evening. "I declare," said Ada, "it's like living in a newsreel with all this excitement. Fancy the girl from the Corner Shop having her mother blown up. Some people do have luck."  

Overall, I really enjoyed Staying Put. It's not quite as good as the other four Dorothy Lambert books I've read so far, but it's still pretty solid. I feel like this book might have too many unnecessary characters and a little less depth than the other titles. 

Always a huge thanks and big hug to Victoria at Dean Street Press for sending along this book (and three other new Dorothy Lambert books) for me to read and review! DSP Furrowed Middlebrow books are the BEST! 🥰❤️🌟

Stay tuned for another Dorothy Lambert book review (and post on Instagram) next Friday—woo-hoo! 🥳🎉 

Who is your favorite furrowed middlebrow author? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Friday! Have a wonderful weekend, friends! 💕🌸🤗🌸💕 

Scotch Mist by Dorothy Lambert 😄💚💙

Happy Furrowed Middlebrow Friday! 😄📘🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Now that I've read Much Dithering in April and All I Desire in May, I'm continuing my lovely and enjoyable reading with even more Dorothy Lambert novels by Dean Street Press (coming soon—July 2026!) Here are my thoughts on the second to-be-republished novel! 

RATING: 4.25🌟 Family drama to the max! 

If (for some reason) your family is driving you batty, this is the perfect book to read. You'll immediately start feeling grateful for who you have in your life—and their faults will probably be greatly reduced in your mind. lol! 

On the other hand, if your family is making you feel like running away, this Dorothy Lambert title may be too close to the heart. Eek!

Either way, it's absolutely worth reading! 

"A hotel is all very well, but I didn't bargain to find myself running a lunatic asylum." - Neil McPherson, Laird of Glenlochart House

Scotch Mist is a truly entertaining (though maddening) domestic novel that starts off in London and moves quickly on to a beautiful (but rundown) rural estate in Scotland. The Laird (Neil McPherson) is forced to start taking in guests in hopes that he will earn enough money to repair Glenlochart to its former glory. Meanwhile, Alison Fairlie (a responsible, hardworking artist who has never married) takes a much-needed vacation from her redecorating business and her demanding (and lazy) family and, strangely, ends up at Glenlochart. 

Although Alison had dreamed of peaceful and solitary moments to paint and relax, she is soon faced with unwanted family and a whole host of new problems. One of them includes the disapproval of Neil's housekeeper, Mrs. McCaig. More craziness occurs when a rich businessman and his son take rooms at Glenlochart House—Andrew and Roderick Tosh are unbearable, entitled and entirely ungrateful. The circumstances reach a breaking point pretty quickly after that.

WHAT I LOVED:

💙 The atmospheric descriptions of the gorgeous Scottish landscape
💙 Wonderfully charming estate of Glenlochart
💙 Being in Alison's mind when she's trying to reason out difficult situations
💙 Alison's loyal and down-to-earth friend and business partner, Jane Barclay
💙 The ending!!!

THE CHARACTERS THAT FRUSTRATED ME THE MOST:

❊ Handsome and Dependent Lady Caroline (Omg...how does one deal with such a selfish and greedy mother??)
❊ Beautiful and Dazzling Pamela (She's no different from Lady Caroline, only with a more dangerous temperament!)
❊ Wealthy and Entitled Andrew Tosh (Can he stop bragging about his wealth for one minute?!)
❊ Roddy Tosh (He's far too idle and conceited. He needs something to do that isn't "having fun" and spending money!)

From the first moment Alison arrives at the Scottish estate, there are non-stop scenes, melodrama and misunderstandings. You get swept into a sea of tension and comedy...but, somehow, you enjoy every minute. (Or, I did when I wasn't feeling frustrated or annoyed by the characters.) Overall, I was rooting for Neil and Alison to get together—and for Glenlochart House!

You'll just have to read this highly entertaining book to find out what happens in the end! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised! 

💖 MY FAVORITE PASSAGES/QUOTES:

"Life is serious, " agreed Pamela; "that's our chief trouble, Binkie, so I try to keep smiling." 

Alison swung round in astonishment and found herself facing a strange man with pleasant blue eyes, rain-soaked hair that curled close to his head, and a bronzed, dark face with a well-shaped nose and a firm mouth with a glimpse of good teeth under a small dark moustache. 

She looked thoughtfully at her extra suitcase—"an emergency case," she called it, and it would appear that the present circumstances were in the nature of an emergency. She stroked her cheek with a little smile. "A single lady out to set a bachelor by the ears? I'll teach them their mistake." - Alison

He wished Alison were with him to appreciate the loveliness of the morning light over the panorama of mountains, the blueness of the hills, the freshness of the birch woods in the sunshine, the gleam of silver where the loch sparkled in a setting of dark pines, the purple shadows where the big, slowly-piling clouds passed over the sun. - Neil

She paused, breathless, and before Neil could find any words to answer the astounding questions she hurled at him, Alison appeared on the stairs and said in a tone of the utmost horror, "Mother!"  

At present, it was like a third-class boarding-house, and he loathed everyone in it and never wanted to see any of them again. - Neil  

Pamela was just a little fool, born to make trouble for herself and other people, but Lady Caroline was a really dreadful person. 

The wonder of the hours on the loch would be the most beautiful memory of her life, so beautiful as to be almost a pain. - Alison 

(See end of post for SPOILER passages/quotes!)

Endless thanks to Victoria at Dean Street Press for sending along this book (and three other new Dorothy Lambert books) for me to read and review! I always get so much enjoyment reading any DSP Furrowed Middlebrow book! 🥰❤️🌟

Right now, I'm more than halfway through the last Dorothy Lambert title and I'm super excited share my thoughts on two more novels! Yay! 🥳🎉

Have you read any Dorothy Lambert books yet? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Friday! Have a fabulously fun weekend, friends! 💕🌸🤗🌸💕 

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FAVORITE "SPOILER" PASSAGES/QUOTES: 

Neil raised her hand and kissed it. "I'm satisfied, as long as Glenlochart is my only rival." 

"I'd take on the old trout, I said, and see he didn't have to worry, so Roddy skipped off to Gretna with the blooming bride, and now what I've got to say is just this: Lady Caroline, will you do me the honour to marry me?" Lady Caroline clenched her hands and sprang to her feet. "I've never been so insulted in my life!" she said furiously. "Go away, you dreadful man!" - Andrew

"It's not funny, Alison, and it's all your fault." "My fault?" "Yes, coming to stay in this outlandish place, and dragging poor little Pamela and me into your disgraceful goings-on, and throwing us—yes, Alison, literally throwing us at those dreadful Tosh men in order to get us off your hands and out of your way. Now what have you to say?" "Nothing," replied Alison feebly. "You seem to have said everything." 

Susan Scarlett Book Collection! ❤️

Happy Sunday Shelfie! 😍📚✨

Helllooo friends! I don't usually share Sunday Shelfies on my blog, but I am today! Yay! 🥳🎉

This photo only a shows a small portion of my bookshelves, but still…you can count that...right?

You might be able to catch a small glimpse of books by some of my favorite authors such as Rosamunde Pilcher, Ruby Ferguson, Margery Sharp, Louise Platt Hauck, and Maysie Greig on these shelves. (Also, a few by authors I'm excited about like Margaret Pedler and Anya Seton.)

I'm sure you already know that I'm a huge fan of Noel Streatfeild (check out my Noel Streatfeild Book Collection!), but I also ADORE her YA books written under the name Susan Scarlett 🥰 

I wanted to share my current book collection because I just added some gorgeous new vintage editions! Woo-hoo! (So much thanks and love to my parents, my sister Kim, and my in-laws for the birthday money! And, tons of love to Caro (@carosbookcase) for buying me Poppies in England and Ten Way Street! She is always incredibly generous and thoughtful! 🥰💕📚🎁)

 

[See my Susan Scarlett Instagram Post for better photos!]

 

Why Do I Love Susan Scarlett Books?

 

💖 Lively and fun to read

💖 Addictive 'gotta-get-to-the-end' stories

💖 Easy and enjoyable writing style

💖 At least one male and female character (not necessarily the main characters) to love

💖 Cozy details (especially about food and clothing)

💖 Light romances that don't leave you feeling over-emotional or sickly sweet

 

What I Find Frustrating about Susan Scarlett Books:

 

❊ Horribly annoying female characters who are lazy, self-centered and absolutely unlikable

❊ I find myself sometimes sighing (possibly loudly and deeply) when there is lack of communication between characters or if the ending feels like it was rushed and I have to go back and see if I'd missed something.

❊ Sometimes the characters' names get confusing because they're similar in some way and I have trouble keeping track of who's who. (Does this happen to you, too?) 

BOOK RATINGS:

The Man in the Dark 5🌟
Under the Rainbow 5🌟
Murder While You Work 4.75🌟
Sally-Ann 4.5🌟
Babbacombe’s 4.5🌟
Peter and Paul 4.5🌟
Summer Pudding 4.25🌟
Pirouette 4🌟
Clothes-Pegs 4🌟 

TBR:

Poppies Over England
Ten Way Street
Love in a Mist 

 

I adore my new vintage book collection but I love the covers on my Dean Street Press Furrowed Middlebrow editions more! 😜 (FUN FACT: I just counted and I only have 36 more DSP FM books to read! I've read 67/103 so far!) 

Do you love vintage editions OR modern reprints? (Or both?) 

Which cover do you like best? Let me know in the comments! 🤔

Happy Sunday, Beautiful Friends! ☀️💛🤗💛☀️ 

 

All I Desire by Dorothy Lambert 😍❤️💙

Happy Furrowed Middlebrow Friday! 🤩✨📚 

After reading and loving Much Dithering in April, I knew I had to read ALL 4 of the upcoming Dorothy Lambert novels by Dean Street Press (being republished in July 2026!) Here are my thoughts on the first one!

RATING: 4.75🌟 Highly entertaining, gossipy and oh-so-fun! 

All I Desire takes place in a small English village and centers on Holm Street. When Mrs. Hermia Carlisle (whom her daughter calls "Tabitha") moves into an empty manor house (aka The Manor) with her incorrigible daughter, Jeremy, it creates quite a stir in the neighborhood. The Holm Street "cats" now have something interesting to chat about—especially at the local grocery with horrible Mrs. Hogbin and at the post office with curious Mrs. Maycock.

Between the single girls vying for solitary and distinguished Major Southcote's attention, disdaining (but also yearning for) the young and attractive Ian Fenwick, or the mystery surrounding Mrs. Carlisle (and her disgraceful "past"), there is never a lack of drama, underhanded activity and downright jealousy infusing every day of the week. 

I don't usually love books with so many unlikable characters, but Dorothy Lambert does an amazing job of creating characters that you love to hate. Specifically:

CHARACTERS YOU LOVE TO HATE:

❊ Snobby, hateful and controlling Mrs. Fenwick
❊ Common, weak and close-minded Mrs. Marsh
❊ Frivolous, beautiful and selfish Chrissie Marsh (aka Marsh Mallow)
❊ Grumpy, plain and very difficult Alberta Marsh
❊ Trouble-making, stingy and nasty Mrs. Hogbin

CHARACTERS BALANCED OUT BY:

💖 Sparkling, impulsive, daring, bold, and free-spirited Jeremy (named after her cricket-playing father)
💖 Lovely, vague and frustrating author Hermia Carlisle
💖 Good-looking, gentlemanly and hardworking Ian (who is tied to his mother and sister Daphne)
💖 Solemn, responsible and independent Piers Southcote 
💖 Well-meaning Mrs. Mannering and her kind, but ineffectual husband Vicar Mannering
💖 Eccentric, miserly, unwashed and humorous Miss Gosby (who I kept getting confused with Mrs. Hogbin for some reason!) 

But, overall, my favorite character of all was Jeremy! Her energy just kept the story going and I adored every single conversation she had with her mother (or anyone, really.) 

The descriptions of The Manor, the confusions caused by the proposed Shakespeare play, and the village "cats" searching for any reason at all to find fault with any action taken by Hermia or Jeremy make for a non-stop, delightful escapade! 

❤️ MY FAVORITE PASSAGES:

He followed her across the dim hall into a room full of the evening sunshine, a pleasant room with cream walls and paint, gay curtains and bowls of flowers. Mrs. Carlisle was sitting in a low chair by the west window, doing embroidery. Her fingers were never idle. They had to keep pace with her busy brain. As she sewed, she worked out her stories. Sewing of any kind soothed her and allowed her fancy to roam into realms of romance.

She ran on like a tap that had lost its washer and couldn't be turned off, and Piers wondered how long he would be able to maintain his self-control and abstain from murder.

"No, thank you, darling, no 'purry' for me. I feel like a banana and a boiled egg; then a long, hot bath and I'd liked to sleep for a week." They had supper under the mulberry tree as usual. - Jeremy

"Possibly, we live too persistently on spaghetti to sparkle pictorially—too filling, dearest; bad for the lines of your figure and positively deathly to the expression, you know." - Jeremy

"When you are older, Jeremy, you will learn that the only way to be happy is to float on the surface. Never dive too deep or try to swim against the current; just float along gently, take life easily, never ask too much—" - Hermia

I'm so super grateful to Victoria at Dean Street Press for sending along this book (and three other new Dorothy Lambert books) for me to read and review! I'm never disappointed when I read a DSP Furrowed Middlebrow book—they're so perfect for picking up the spirits, getting in touch with tender moments and/or following along with the more mundane (but incredibly meaningful) details of everyday life...especially if they take place in a small village in England or Scotland!

I'm currently reading another Dorothy Lambert title and I can't wait to share my thoughts on three more novels! 🥳🎉

Let me know in the comments below which Dorothy Lambert book you're hoping to read next...or, if you've read them, which is your favorite!

Happy June and so many hugs, friends!! 💕🌸🤗🌸💕 

Five Windows by D.E. Stevenson ☺️🌼🌿📗

Happy Furrowed Middlebrow Friday! 🤩 

SPOILER: I've found a NEW 5🌟 D.E. Stevenson favorite book! 🥳💜

Until now, my top 5 DES titles have been:  

• The English Air 
• Rochester's Wife
• The Fair Miss Fortune
• Charlotte Fairlie 
• Katherine Wentworth duology 

(among many other 5🌟 D.E. Stevenson books!)

To be honest, I usually don't enjoy books from a male perspective (with the exception of Agatha Christie mysteries) because I feel like I just can't fully relate. So, when I read the synopsis of Five Windows, I was a bit unenthusiastic. 

But, I was absolutely wrong!

DES completely blew me away with this novel and I utterly LOVED it. It's the first book in a long, long time that has made me want to start the story over from the very beginning as soon as I finished reading it. There are very few books that have had this effect on me. 

It's funny because I felt almost the exact same way before reading Smouldering Fire. Even though I didn't love that title as much as this one, I still REALLY enjoyed it—and that was mostly from a male perspective, too! Wow!

I felt the opposite about two other male-centric titles—The House of the Deer (UGH...the descriptions of killing deer was so horrible! I could hardly finish it.) and, to a much lesser extent, Peter West. I liked the latter novel, but it's still pretty low on my list. 

From here on I'm going to share general "Cliffs Notes" and a few of my thoughts from each of the "five windows" in David's life. So, if you haven't read the book, PLEASE STOP NOW. (It's the perfect time to read it, though, and come back! 😂) 

But, if you loved this story and want to relive it in a quick (and slightly superficial) way, keep reading! 

1st WINDOW: (Childhood in Haines) 

"My window looked out over the garden to the bridge and the hills. In summer this view was hidden by a glorious old chestnut-tree which had grown as high as the house. I loved this tree at all seasons of the year: in spring there were the candles to watch and I saw the pink flowers unfolding: the leaves were fresh and green, they waved with the wind or hung quietly drinking in the golden sunshine. The tree was full of birds chirping and building their nests—they would fly to my window for crumbs to feed their nestlings. In winter when the leaves had fallen my view of the world was enlarged and through the delicate tracery of twig and branch I could see the countryside: the bridge, the woods and the hills."

• The story starts with young David Kirke on his 9th birthday.
• He is the son of a vicar and lovely mother, Mary
• They live in the village of Haines in Glasgow, Scotland.
• David's first friend is Malcolm. He is the shepherd for the Lorimer’s farm, Nethercleugh, with his dog, Bess.
• David's other childhood friend is Freda Lorimer.
• The Lorimer Family (with horrible, derisive and controlling father) have three daughters (Freda and Elise & Janet are twins). The family is always arguing. Janet is spirited and sensitive while Elise is fearful, weak, lazy and jealous.
• Mr. Semple is David’s grade school teacher and is only slightly helpful with his education.
• Dochie works for Mr. Gregg as a garage assistant. He doesn’t say much and, if given money, he will drink it all away. But, he is a wizard at knowing all things about cars and fixing them. David learns a little from Dochie and also likes to have him as a friend.
• Malcolm helps David to make a wooden box for his mother for a Christmas gift. It’s hand carved, dove tailed and incredibly lovely.
• Malcolm gives David a lovely locket with a picture of his love in it and also pearls that he picked himself. He asks David to keep it safe for him during the war and will tell him the story when he gets back. 
• When Malcolm dies in the war, David writes a beautiful book all about him. His mother loves it and places it (and all of David’s writing and drawings) into the handmade box. 
• Mother Mary encourages David’s writing.
• Mary likes Janet (the “troublesome” child) and they both love to arrange and pick flowers together.
• The vicar’s brother, Matthew, comes to stay and offers David a life with him in Edinburgh. His parents don’t want that, but eventually see the reasons why they should say yes. 
• Matthew and his brother have not always got along and do not see eye to eye on things. But, David likes him and wants to give it a try. 

2nd WINDOW: (Edinburgh with Uncle Matt)

"My window looked out on to a chequer-board of gardens, each separated from its neighbor by a solid stone wall covered with ivy. The gardens were rectangular and very small indeed: some of them were unkempt and tawdry: some had stanchions fixed to the walls and the family washing fluttered upon ropes: a few were carefully tended patches with chrysanthemums or dahlias or little rockeries planted with varigated heaths...Beyond the gardens was a somewhat grim row of tall grey houses—the backs of the houses of which the next crescent was composed."

• David enjoys living with Uncle Matt, but also discovers his rages and bouts of anger. He learns to stay away from his uncle when this happens.
• He occasionally visits lonely and eccentric Aunt Etta and has tea with homemade doughnuts from a shop around the corner. 
• David likes his days at school and makes a new friend, Cliffe (who tells very exaggerated stories…but in an entertaining way) and whose father is an ironmonger. David likes Cliffe’s family very much.
• He occasionally sees Freda while she is at university.
• David’s friend, Miles, comes up with a plan that they should both go to London to work and be roommates together. Uncle Matt has a hard time getting used to the idea, but finally decides that he likes it and finds him a job at a law firm, Heatly and Frensham. 
• Miles backs out at the last minute and David, though angry and slightly apprehensive, decides to go anyway.  

3rd WINDOW: (Life in London at Boarding House)

"My window looked out on to a blank wall. The wall towered up some thirty feet from my window: it was of dingy brick and there was no break in it except for an iron ventilator. Once upon a time the wall had been painted white—presumably to lighten my room—but the paint had nearly all flaked off and what was left was streaky and discoloured with London soot. Even on the sunniest day my room was dim: even on the breeziest day my room was airless." 

• Mrs. Hall’s boarding house turns out to be dirty and unpleasant. 6 other residents live there and they all have horrible personalities, including Mrs. Hall. The room is bleak, he has to share one bathroom with the entire house, everyone complains and the food is scant and disgusting.
• Residents: Owen (Welsh, black hair), Bulwen (fair/grayish hair), Kensey (fat, bald), Ned Montram (complains constantly, car salesman, always guilts to get money, talks and talks but is not a friend to listen, weak), Madam Futrelle (French, modiste, always says that things are better in France), and Beryl Collingham (very pretty, want to be actress, curls, is used to being pampered and getting her own way, a tart) 
• David’s manager at the law office is Mr. Penman. He is a decent man, but not very understanding. Heatly is the CEO of the law firm and is more sympathetic (but also distant at first.)
• At this point in his life, David is sad, lonely, angry and feels he does not have any true friends.
• I felt frustrated with David for always giving in to Ned (and sometimes Beryl) when they need money. Ugh!! 
• David comes across a book shop one day near Covent Garden and sees a “for let” sign set out by the owner, Mr. John Coe. They strike up a friendship and help each other on a daily basis. The apartment David is renting on the top attic floor has an interesting view, is clean and quiet, but there is no elevator and he doesn't have his own bathroom.
• He loves his new place and does his best to not come in contact with anyone from the boarding house, especially after Mrs. Hall demanded extra money that he did not have (and she was not entitled to!)

4th WINDOW: (New Outlook on Life in New Apartment and an Important Book)

"My window looked out on to roofs of all shapes and sizes sloping in all directions: upon jutting gables and hundreds of chimney-pots. The whole aspect was topsy-turvy, it was a choppy sea of roofs. The gables cut sharply across the night sky: in the bright moonlight their slates shone like silver and their shadows were black as pitch. It was a curious outlook, quite different from any of my other windows, and strictly speaking it was ugly...but it was ugly in an interesting way. There was history here: not the sort of history which finds its way into books but the history of ordinary people."

• David meets Teddy in the outdoor market while Mr. Coe is on his vacation. She is a kind friend and is engaged to Paul Deering.
• David’s mother, Mary, comes to stay and see what’s happened with David. It’s a wonderful visit and she helps to cozy up the apartment and takes a liking to Mr. Coe.
• Finally David’s jealous coworkers start to thaw towards him and they go out to “The Kim” occasionally.
• He spends time writing about his experiences in London and, after reading it, Teddy decides it should be titled, “The Inward Eye”. David sends it in to many UK publishing companies and no one likes or wants it. Finally, a US publisher, Basil Barnes, loves it and wants him to sign a contract. He receives 50 pounds on the spot and buys his parents an anniversary present.
• With Mr. Heatly’s help and guidance, he gets a literary agent named Tom Randall.
• David visits his parents and shows them his book. They are stunned, but happy.
• He renews his friendship with Freda, but she is not as great as he remembers. She always wants to have her own way, which he never realized before. He is drawn to Janet, but is having a hard time finding her to talk to and to help her.
• David receives a 500 pound check for the gorgeous hardcover with dust jacket (his own illustration!) book and a 6 month leave for his book from work to figure out what to do.
• He is left Green Beech Cottage by Aunt Etta and he needs to decide what to do with it. Jan and her friends (Barbie is practical and caring and Nell is a wonderful cook) help with the scheduling a consult and the fixing up of the cottage.
• Miles comes to store to see David. He decides he’s also going to write a novel (a thriller) and makes David read it. It’s horrible and boring. David sends an honest but light letter to Miles and then sends the book to his literary agent to get his opinion. The agent agrees that it's trash.

 

5th WINDOW: (Fixing Up the Cottage and End)

"The window was dirty and we could not see through it, so I opened it from the bottom and we looked out...Now that the trees had been felled we could see for miles: we could see meadows and fields: we could see hedges with the green tint of spring upon them. In the distance, veiled in a tender haze, we could see the clustering of roofs of London. The sun was declining in the west and its rosy beams irradiated the mist so that the big sprawling city looked like a city in a dream, a city of enchantment." 

• Jan and David go to the Green Beech Cottage to fix it up.
• While clearing up the cottage and looking at the view (and of Janet with her halo of slightly messy hair near the lilacs), David finally realizes that he loves her.
• David brings Jan a HUGE bouquet of flowers to her apartment and tries to tell her that he loves her. But, there is something not quite right in her face and he can’t understand it. He feels instantly afraid.
• The UK has finally agreed to publish Golden Pavements and the The Inward Eye, but David only feels like he can concentrate on Janet. Even the cottage renovations are less important to him now.
• Barbie comes over to tell David to be firm and “caveman-like” so that Jan doesn’t go home and get stuck there doing everything that her family wants (and also losing any chance of happiness.)
• David “captures” Jan when she comes to the cottage and demands that she marry him (in the nicest and most sensible way), gives her a ring and tells her that they are going to get married immediately.  

Such a lovely ending! It wasn't exactly what I imagined, but it was very satisfying overall and I'm so, so happy that Jan didn't end up going back home. I felt like the Lorimer family would finally realize how much they lost and didn't appreciate about lovely Janet!

I'll repeat it again (just because it's fun!)...I LOVED THIS BOOK! 😍❤️ 

It's not only the story itself (which is so extremely touching, quaint and moving), but also D.E. Stevenson's engaging writing style and the way she set up the phases of David's life. I wish I could be more coherent, but it's all the feelings of my heart that make me adore Five Windows (and less my intellectual self). 

I'm so grateful to Niki, Sabine and Victoria at Dean Street Press for co-hosting our #BuncleAndBeyond readalong on Instagram for the past three months. I'm very excited to June, July and August, too! We'll be reading The Tall Stranger, Bel Lamington and Fletcher's End. Woo-hoo! I hope you'll join in with the rest of us DESsies!

If you haven't listened to the Tea or Books? Podcast Episode #102 with Simon and Rachel where they compare Four Gardens by Margery Sharp and Five Windows by D.E. Stevenson, you must! It's sooo good!

Also, if you love D.E. Stevenson's novels as much as I do, please consider purchasing e-books or paperback copies (or both!) from Dean Street Press Ltd. They do such an amazing job from beginning to end and I want this fantastic republishing company to thrive and grow! 

P.S. I'm anxiously waiting for a vintage 1953 Rinehart & Co. hardcover edition of Five Windows to arrive. When it does, I'll make sure to share it. It's not in the best condition, but it's lovely! 

Let me know in the comments if you've read this D.E. Stevenson novel and what your favorite title is by this wonderful author! 

Much love and many springtime hugs!

Gina 💕🌸🤗🌸💕 

Furrowed Middlebrow Friday—Double the Fun! 🤩📗💕

Hooray for Furrowed Middlebrow Friday! 🥳🎉✨📚

Today, I'm reviewing TWO Dean Street Press Furrowed Middlebrow books...isn't that exciting?!? 

Before my reviews, I just wanted to say that I'm dying to buy and read the upcoming NEW Furrowed Middlebrow titles by Dean Street Press Ltd.! They include:

D.E. Stevenon Upcoming Book Cover Images from Dean Street Press website.

1. D.E. Stevenson's Bel Lamington and Fletcher's End (One of my favorite series!!) 
2. Dorothy Lambert's  All I Desire, Scotch Mist, Staying Put and Harvest Home (These are going to be sooo good!) 

Dorothy Lambert Upcoming Book Cover Images from Dean Street Press website.

REVIEW #1 - Kate Hardy by D.E. Stevenson

RATING: 4🌟

The first book in our Buncle And Beyond read-along for March! I was so excited to partner up with Niki (@nikilovestoread) and Sabine (@sabines.literary.world) to celebrate our love of D.E. Stevenson! (Use the #BuncleAndBeyond hashtag on Instagram if you share a post!) 🥳

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS BOOK:
💚 Kate's confidence, talent and clear-headedness
💚 Walter's solid presence, stability, responsibility and thoughtfulness
💚 The lovely Dower House—I wish there were illustrations to show the inside! I want to live there!
💚 Crabby, but reliable and loyal Martha
💚 Charming and helpful Mrs. Stark

WHAT DROVE ME CRAZY:
❊ Kate's self-centered and manipulative sister, Milly 
❊ Her spoiled and selfish niece, Minty
❊ The slightly unsettling feeling of the country village of Old Quinings
❊ Two people who I wanted to end up together did not 😢

With the added bonus of Kate's career as a writer, lots of cozy descriptions of moving into the Dower House and some lovely (I wish they were my friends) characters, this D.E. Stevenson title was a fantastic read. It wasn't a 5 star for me, but I still really liked it. 

But, what I loved most was the small autobiographical section at the end in DES's own words! It was like reading a letter that she wrote to me and I absolutely fell even more into a fan-girl feeling for DES!! 😍❤️

Victoria from Dean Street Press Ltd. mentioned that fans of DES are called "Dessies" and I'm proud to give myself this label. Are you a "Dessie", too? 

P.S. This is my favorite excerpt written in the autobiographical sketch section: 

"I write all my books in longhand, lying on a sofa near the window in my drawing room. I begin by thinking it all out and then I take a pencil and jot it all down in a notebook. When that stage is over I begin at the beginning and go on like mad until I get to the end. After that I have a little rest and then polish it up and rewrite bits of it. When I can do no more to it I pack it up, smother the parcel with sealing wax, and despatch it to be typed. I am now free as air and somewhat dazed, so I ring up all my friends (who have been neglected for months) and say, "Come and have a party.'" 

REVIEW #2 - Much Dithering by Dorothy Lambert

RATING: 4.5🌟 Light, amusing and wonderfully fun!

Much Dithering is definitely one of those books that's perfect for when you're feeling down and just want a little story to perk you up. It's not overly sweet or filled with tension—Dorothy Lambert's book about the small English country village of Much Dithering (and its environs) is the perfect balance of both.  

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS BOOK: 
💖 Similar writing style to D.E. Stevenson and Susan Scarlett
💖 Sweet, clever and also funny at the same time
💖 Memorable characters with a lot of spark (either you're rooting for them or they're so loathsome that you want to give them a good shake)
💖 Dear innocent Jocelyn Renshawe (I love the way her character evolves!)
💖 Absolute redemption at the very end of the book! (yes!!)
💖 A small mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end (you'll probably guess, but it's an awesome element all the same)
💖 Handsome and charming Gervase Blythe, a mysterious gentleman visitor to the village

DESPISED CHARACTERS:
❊ Jocelyn's mother (who pretends she's not her mother), Ermyntrude (ugh!)
❊ The wet blanket and blustering Colonel Tidmarsh (shiver!)

I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to reading another Dorothy Lambert novel! Thank goodness that Dean Street Press is republishing 4 more of her titles this summer. Yipppee! If you haven't seen the covers yet, you must take a look at the DSP website/Instagram. They're absolutely beautiful!! They're going to look so lovely on my bookshelves 😍

If you love vintage stories with village scandal, gossiping/spying neighbors, young and unappreciated widows who are trying to find their way in the world and several small romances/intrigues, this is the book for you!! 

Highly recommended! 

If you haven't read either of these books, please consider giving them a try! They're both such enjoyable and light reads—I have a soft spot for both authors (one old favorite and one new favorite!)

Comment below if you've read/loved/didn't love or want to read either (or both!) of these DSP titles! 

**Join Niki, Sabine, Dean Street Press and I for #BuncleAndBeyond for April and May! We'll be reading The Musgraves in April and Five Windows in May. Hope you'll read along with us for the #BuncleAndBeyondReadalong! 😍❤️📕**

Happy April! Lots of love and springtime hugs!  💕🌷🤗🌷💕

P.S. I wanted to share a recent antique store find/gift from Ian—a gorgeous, mid-century, filigree sterling silver jewelry set with blue topaz stones. Isn't it amazing?? I cannot believe this dainty (size 5.5) little ring fit! I'm hoping to wear it when I visit Persephone Books in a few weeks!! Yay!

I was so lucky to have a gift card from my friend Heather! Ian paid the rest. What a treat!

I love blue topaz so much! The design is really floral and delicate. Definitely my style!